Deadline Date: June 24, 2026
The Innovate UK is requesting grant applications to support collaborative innovation projects that help UK businesses address key challenges by embedding new knowledge and capabilities through partnership with a UK knowledge base.
The programme focuses on funding strategic innovation projects that address one or more business challenges faced by the business partner, demonstrating why the business needs the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), identifying the new knowledge required by the business, defining the new capabilities that will be embedded as a result of the KTP, explaining how the project aligns with the Industrial Strategy, and highlighting the characteristics of the business that indicate high growth potential, while also prioritising alignment with the six Industrial Strategy sectors including Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, and Life Sciences.
The KTP programme is designed to support innovative UK businesses that are seeking to scale and grow through structured partnerships. Each project is delivered through a collaboration between a UK knowledge base acting as the lead organisation and a UK-registered business, ensuring that academic or research expertise is effectively transferred into commercial application.
Projects under this funding opportunity are required to be strategic in nature, focusing on innovation that directly addresses the needs and challenges of the business partner. The partnership model is intended to ensure that new knowledge is not only accessed but also embedded within the business, strengthening long-term capability and competitiveness.
The duration of each project must range between 12 and 36 months, allowing sufficient time for meaningful knowledge transfer and capability development. The total eligible project costs are typically calculated at approximately £8,500 per month, with funding support provided by Innovate UK while the remaining costs are covered by the business partner.
Alignment with the Industrial Strategy is a key requirement, and applications must demonstrate relevance to at least one of the six priority sectors. These include Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, and Life Sciences, with a focus on applying or developing relevant technologies such as artificial intelligence where applicable.
Projects that do not directly align with these priority sectors may still be considered eligible if they demonstrate exploitation of a novel research area and involve a business partner with strong high-growth potential. However, priority will be given to applications that clearly align with the Industrial Strategy framework.
The KTP initiative ultimately aims to strengthen innovation capacity within UK businesses by enabling structured knowledge exchange, enhancing internal capabilities, and supporting long-term growth and competitiveness.
For more information, visit GOV.UK.
